One Step Closer
by Averra Kafsian
Summary: Sakura was tired of being protected all the time; nobody realized that she was no longer the weak girl they knew. When they finally let her take the lead, it was to use her as bait to draw out Akatsuki. What happens when Pein sees her strength and asks her to join Akatsuki? Rated M for Lemons in future chapters. SakuraXAkatsuki.


_A SakuXAkat Fanfic._

_Sakura was tired of being protected all the time; nobody realized that she was no longer the weak girl they knew. When they finally let her take the lead, it was an inside, last resort plan to send her and Naruto to use as bait to draw out Akatsuki. What happens when Pein sees her strength and asks her to join Akatsuki? Rated M for Lemons in future chapters. SakuraXAkatsuki. (My first Fanfic so be kind) Enjoy~_

_**DISCLAIMER:: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO NOR ANY CHARACTERS FROM NARUTO**_

**Averra: "This story is based before Pain attacks the leaf village, and yes I know Sakura had short hair then, but I preferred her hair long, it's called fan fiction…I can do what I want in it. If I want Itachi to dress in drag and do the hula, it'll happen-"**

**Itachi: "…You have a ridicules notion that you can force me to do… what?" **

**Kisame: "Ooh this is going to be good."**

**Averra: "You are going to dress in drag and do the hula for the fans-**

**Itachi: "…."**

**Averra: "-and Kisame is going to lie on the ground with an apple in his mouth-"**

**Kisame: "Wait, what?!"**

**Averra: "-Anyways, here's the story, enjoy!" **

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Chapter one: Cracking

Once again she had been protected by her team mates. Once again they under estimated her. Once again they left her feeling useless. The fight was over and Sakura Haruno was staring off into space, her pink hair fell to her waist, the braid she had it in came loose during the battle.

"Oi, Sakura-Chan!" Her blond team mate called to her, gaining her attention slightly, "Are you okay? You seem spacy" His blue eyes searched her bright emerald for any signs of coherency. She blinked twice and smiled.

"Yes I'm fine Naruto, just a little worn out…" She stood up and brushed the dirt off of her outfit, an outfit resembling an ANBU uniform, but her chest armor, where everyone else's was normal silver, hers was dyed a pink hue, a gift from her Shishou, Lady Tsunade.

"Worn out? It's not like you did anything…" A sarcastic comment slid out of the mouth of Sai, an ANBU who took the place of Sasuke in team 7. His ineptitude of emotion was a side effect of his ANBU training, he was stripped of all emotion, but he's trying, and he never ceases to get on Sakura's nerves. Sakura clenched her fists, **'****_Not here Sakura, we're in the middle of the forest, and we all just got done with a fight, we're all a little on edge here…'_** Sakura's inner self spoke calmly, and she soon released the pressure in her hands. Sakura could have sent Sai flying if she wanted too, but she looked around as saw her teams bruised faces and shook it off. Sai walked away with a smirk, and they headed home.

Sakura sighed and brushed off the dirt on her uniform, and looked around, the evidence of how she helped was everywhere, the ground was shattered from her punch, and an uprooted tree from when she threw it to protect Sai from an attack laid tossed to the side, '_Weak, I am _not_ weak, I help out and do my share, why can nobody see that I'm not how I was years ago, I'm stronger now…' _

**_'Yes, WE know we are not weak, but we need to show them, a chance to prove ourselves…'_** Sakura absentmindedly walked behind the group, having an inner conversation with her-self when her team captain walked over and cleared his throat. Sakura jumped and turned to look in the eye of the Copy Nin, Kakashi Hitake.

"Hey, Sakura… you sure you're alright?" Her sensei asked her, his one eye that wasn't covered peered at her, searching for a sign of tensing, or anything that might give her away.

"Of course Kakashi-Sensei, like I told Naruto, I'm just a little tired…" She turned her face away from him, he saw her eyes, dark and shielded, and though she hid her emotions physically, to him, her eyes always gave her away. Something inside of him twisted, he did not like seeing his student look so sullen. After a few hours of being under the Copy Nin's gaze, Sakura was relieved as the Gates of Konohagakure came into view, she sped up, pushing a little chakra into her feet to boost her speed, the interrogation from her sensei unnerved her, he knew she was lying but she didn't want to tell him and make it sound like she was complaining, besides, she wasn't in the mood for another one of Sai's comments. Leaping from roof to roof she bolted to the Hokage tower, leaving Naruto complaining behind her.

Walking in she spied Shizune, Lady Tsunade's personal attendant, the poor woman was rushing around trying to get paperwork filed. Sakura sighed; How Shizune put up with her Shishou for all those years still baffled Sakura.

"Oh, Sakura-chan, you're finished with your mission early" the relief on Shizune's face showed clearly, Shizune was always worried for Sakura, and had felt a sisterly bond with her, both for being under Tsunade shishou's teaching and for the love she felt for Sakura.

"Hai, Shizune-Sama, is shishou in her office?" Sakura asked, needing to give Tsunade the mission report. Shizune nodded hesitantly, and Sakura understood why, she lightly tapped the door, and a slurred voice called out from inside the room.

"Enter" Sakura sighed as she pushed open the door to Tsunade's office, and sitting there, as expected, was Lady Tsunade, her head leaning in one hand, and in the other, a sake bottle, her cheeks tinted with red and her brown eyes half lidded "Ah Sakura, you're back early, I take it the mission was a success?" Sakura nodded.

"Isn't it a little too early to be drinking shishou?" Sakura questioned, picking up two empty sake bottles that had been discarded on the floor. The blond scoffed and took another drink from an already half empty bottle in her hands.

"Ah I needed it, here, have a little, maybe you'd lighten up if you got drunk, eh, Sa-ku-ra?" Lady Tsunade cooed at the girl, waving the bottle around, "Good work on the mission, I'll have Shizune read the mission report, take the night off, refresh yourself, go out to eat, pamper yourself girl!" Tsunade called as Shizune came into the room.

"Hai Sakura-chan, I agree…" Sakura eyed her closely, the two women rarely ever pushed her so soon after a mission to have a night out, and Sakura placed her hands on her hips and shot a glare at Tsunade.

"Okay, what's going on?" she asked, the two medics looked at the pink haired kunoichi, and then at each other. Tsunade let out a deep sigh.

"The elders want to have a meeting with you, only you, tomorrow afternoon, about a mission they want you to lead and of course they won't tell me a damned thing about it yet…" Tsunade grumbled, taking another drink. Sakura smiled brightly, _this must mean they are finally taking a notice of me._

"Well then maybe it's a good night to celebrate, I might finally be taken seriously around here" Sakura laughed and took the bottle from Tsunade's reluctant hands and took a drink.

~oOoQoOo~

In the shadows nine figures stood in silence, no words were spoken and the only noise came from a bubbly fellow whose single shown eye peered out of an orange mask and watched a butterfly float around his head. A blond haired man rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Tobi cut it out, un!" he shouted at the other man, his brow twitching, "Your noises are annoying!"

"But Tobi is a good boy" The man turned his head to face the blond.

"Tobi is a retard, un" The blond replied, causing Tobi to cry animatedly and crawl over to an orange spiky haired man.

"Master, Dei-kun is being mean to Tobi!" Tobi tugged on the man's cloak, who in turn closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, the sound of leaves crunching alerted him of a female presence.

"I take it your mission went well, Konan?" He asked as she stood beside him, casting a curious glance at the crying man attached to the bottom of his cloak.

"Yes Pein, she performed beautifully, but her team underestimates her strength, I believe she will be a great asset to us if she were to agree" Konan spoke, her amber eyes met Pein's gray.

"Do you think this is a good idea, I mean after all, she is the slug's successor and apprentice, don't you think she's might be too loyal to join, un" The blond spoke up, crossing his arms over his chest. Pein looked over and met every man's eyes.

"Everyone has their breaking points, and I believe that this one is starting to crack…"

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**Averra: "I know I know, it is a short chapter, but it's the first one and I want to see what you think, so please only put helpful reviews, and maybe some ideas, I hope you liked it! Please be nice, I do not respond to mean or rude reviews, give me some feedback!" **


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